Construction started in 2009 and was due to be completed in 2013, says Essam Selim, independent consultant and former chairman of the Egyptian National Railways.

Phase 3 of Line 3 is due to be completed in 2018 and operational by 2019. The line is a total of17.7km long and has 16 stations.

The expansion of Egypts metro has been constrained by financing requirements, as well as political uncertainty. Due to the involvement of French contractors on the construction of Line 3, the French Development Agency, along with the European Investment Bank, stepped in to finance the third phase of the line in September last year.

Selim says the source of financing will change for the construction of the planned Line 4 of the metro from French to Japanese funding. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a ¥32.7bn ($334.8m) overseas development agreement loan for Line 4 in March 2012.

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